Mqoid-cooling radiator



May s, 1923.

E. T. CURRAN LIQUID COOLING RADIATOR F`iled July 18 1919 Invenor: ECar/nPatented May 8, 1923.

UNITED STATES EDWARD T. CURRAN, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LIQUID-COOLING RADIATOR.

Application filed J'uly 18, 1919. Serial Na. 311,861.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD T. CURRAN, acitizen of the United States, residing in Detroit, Wayne County,Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Liquid-CoolingRadiators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to liquid or water cooling radiators for use inconnection with internal combustion engines to cool the cooling mediumfor the cylinders of the engine and in which the liquid is cooled byconducting the liquid in passages with air spaces between the same froma tank or reservoir for the heated liquid from the engine to a tank orreservoir for the cooled liquid and from which latter tank the liquid isdelivered to the cooling jacket of the engine.

It is an object of the invention to arrange the water conductingpassages to present a large surface for the forcible impingement of theair against such tubes in its passage through the spaces between thetubes thereby greatly increasing the cooling etliciency thereof, and toseparate the reservoir for the heated liquid into compartments havingcommunication with each other and with which compartments differentportions of the tubes communicate, and arrange the inlet to saidreservoir` so as to direct the incoming liquid to certain of thecompartments and cause it to flow or circulate through the passagesadjacent opposite sides of the radiator when the liquid is at a lowtemperature, comparatively speaking, and the partitions for thecompartments serving as spillways over which the liquid passes to thenext adjacent compartment to flow through the passages connected to suchcompartments, by a rise in temperature of the liquid and the consequentboiling and expansion `of the liquid and thereby increasing the normalradiating surface for the liquid.

It is a 'further object of the invention to provide in a radiator inwhich the liquid conducting and cooling passages comprise parallel andspaced vertical tubes of thin sheet material, means to be inserted inthe spaces between the respective tubes to prevent undue expansion andthe consequent rupturing or colpasing of the tubes, and so arrange suchmeans as to direct the air passing through the spaces between the tubesin different'directionstoward the engine usually located at the rear ofthe radiator to aid in the cooling of the engine by such air currents;and to arrange such means asto form obstructions and surfaces for theimpingement and consequent agitation of the air in its passage throughthe spaces between the passages.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the reservoir for theheated liquid with an enlarged or extended portion to serve as anexpansion chamber or space for the liquid thus obviating the necessityof an overflow outlet for any expansion of the liquid in the radiator.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, looking at the frontof a liquid cooling radiator illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation'taken substantially midwaythrough Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view to show the arrangement of the liquidcirculating passages.

Figure 4: is a perspective detail view to show the arrangement of themeans inserted in the spaces between the passages to prevent undueexpansion of the passages and to direct the air currents to the rear ofthe radiator in a predetermined direction.

' Figure 5 is a perspective view and Figure 6 an end elevation of aportion of the means shown in Figure 4 arranged with portions stampedtherefrom to form obstructions to retard and agitate the air in itspassage through the radiator. Y

Similar characters of reference designate like parts in the differentviews of the drawing.

The embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing comprises areservoir or tank 7 having an inlet S for the liquid to lbe cooled, anda'reservoir 9 for the cooled liquid having an outlet 10, said reservoirsbeing supported and connected in spaced relation by side members 11 toprovide an open frame structure. and the side members provided withbrackets 11 to secure the radiator to a support. The reservoir 7 has anopening in a tubular projection 12 closed by a removable cap 13. q

The reservoirs 7 and 9 are connected in liquid circulation by a seriesof parallel and spaced flattened vertical tubes 14, preferably greaterin cross sectional area from the front to the rear than the width. Thesetubes are arranged to extend from the front to the rear of the radiatorat an obtuse angle to `ter ot the radiator.

the front of the radiator whereby a side surface of the tubes ispresented for the impingement of the air in its passage through thespaces between the tubes, thus presenting` an enlarged surface for theair to forcibly strike against, it having been demonstrated that theforce with which the impacts or strikes against a heated body isanimportant factor in such air taking up and absorbing heat radiatedVtrom such body. The tubes 14 are so arranged that the tubes at oppositesides of the center ol' the radiator incline inwardly or converge in adirection toward the center of the radiator, with one or more of thetubes at the center extending substantially parallel to the side members11, as shown in Figure 3, and thus obvi ating an enlarged space betweenthe tubes at the cen- Experience has shown that the liquid passingthrough the passages 141 adjacent the sides of the radiator will coolmore quickly than the liquid passing through the tubes centrally olil tradiator, and that the cooling efficiency ot the pas-- sages or tubesdecreases the farther they are in from the sides with the passages ortubesin the middle oic the radiator having the lowest coolingefliciency. lli/leans are, therefore, provided to cause the initial flowoil the heated liquid to the outermost tubes. For this purpose dams orspillways 15, 16 are provided which are in the nature of pr-- titionsextending from the front to the back and from the bottom to adjacent thetop of the reservoir 7 separa-ting said reservoir into a series ofchambers 17, 17 18, 18 and 18 having communication ov-er the top of thepartitions. To direct the incoming liquid to the chambers 17 a tubularmember 26 is provided which extends along the low- .er rear portion otthe reservoir and opens at opposite ends into the chambers 17 withtheinlet 8 in communication with said member 26 at a point between itsends, Ry this arrangement the incoming liquid is directed to thechambers 17 and circulates through the passages 14 in connection withsaid ch bers tolr conduct the liquid to the reservoir 9. As the liquidheats up and .begins to boil due to a rise in temperature it will spillover the top or the partitions 15 to the chambers 18 land circulatethrough the passages 111 in communication. withisaid chambers therebyincreasingthe cooling for heat radiating sinn tacos of :the radiator forthe liquid ils the temperature of the liquid rises and begins to boilthe chambers 18 it will spill over the dams 15 into the central chambers18 and circulate throunjhthe passages 11i in communicationiwith saidchambers thus "hirther increasing the "circulating or Vcooling` area oroutflow :of the liquid from the reservoir `7.

The tubes'lt are made of relatively thin and ilight material, and toprevent rupturing `and collapsing of the tubes by the expansion tractionoif the material oil? the tubes.

thereof due to an increase in the temperature el? the liquid `passingtherethrough or otherwise, means are provided to engage in the spacesbetween the tubes, said means being in the nature ot a comparativelyvstiff but somewhat flexible bridge or bridges 21 (Figure Ll) comprisinga strip oi' sheet material transversely corrugated or crimped. Thesebridge members are inserted in thel spaces between the tubes withalternate bends or" the flutes ot' the corrugations engaging oppositetubes. 1t will be obvious that while the bends oil? the flutes willlirmly engage the tubes they will yield slightly toaccommodatethemselves to the expansion and con- The bends of thecorrugations iorm passageways for the air throughy the spaces betweenthe tubes and to cause the air currents to converge at the rear oitheradiator.v For this purpose the corrugations atthe middle portion of thestrips extend at right angles to the iront edge oit the strip, while thecorrugations adjacent the ends or' the strip in-` cline at an obtuseangle to the front end ot' the strip, the corrugations adjacent the topof the strip inclining downward while those at the bottom of the stripincline upward. By this arrangement the air passing through the radiatoris directedy to the engine, usually located at the rear of the radiator,and materially aiding in the cooling of the engine. Furthermore7inclining the tubes la at opposite sidesot the center of the radiator asabove set forth greatly facili tates the directing of the air againstthe enlgine.

As stated the forcewith which a current of air impacts orfstrikesagainst a heated i object is an important factor in the air cooling otsuch objectyand while the corrugated strips, to which the heat istransmitted from the tubes la, present alarge ci-iolinn` surface to theair to further augment the cooling 'eiiiciency of these corrugatedstrips portions are stamped and pressed therefrom, as shown at @Si tovproject into the air channels to form obstructions for the air to strileagainst, which also retard and cause the air to be agitated in itspassage through the ran dator.'

To provide for expansion of the liqidin the radiator as the temperaturerises, the reservoir 7 has a lateral extension 25 at the top, which isin the'nature .of an expansion chamber. It will be obvious that asexpansion of `the liquid takes place the increased volume will entersuch space, and as contraction takes place 'by the cooling of ltheliquid it will readily run into the reservoir in the reservoir T and thedirecting ot the incoming liquid to the outer compartments 1T that thecirculation of the liquid will be through said compartments, the tubes14 connected therewith and the reservoir 9, and to prevent freezing ofany liquid in the tubes in communication with the compartments 18 in theuse of the radiator in cold weather there are restricted outlets throughthe wall of the member 26 into the chambers 18 to permit sufficient ofthe heated liquid to enter said chambers to heat the liquid therein andthe connected tubes to prevent freezing.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of my invention andportions may be used Without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In liquid cooling radiators, vertical tubes arranged in parallel andspaced relation, and corrugated members to engage in the spaces betweenthe tubes with the con rugations arranged to cause the air currentspassing through the spaces to converge in the rear of the radiator.

2. In a liquid cooling radiator, transversely extending and spacedtubes, and corrugated members to engage in the spaces between the tubeswith the corrugations at the middle portion of the member extending atright angles to the front of the radiator, and the corrugations adjacentthe ends extending at an obtuse angle to the front ot the radiator.

3. In liquid cooling radiators. vertical tubes arranged in parallel andspaced relation, and means to engage in the spaces between the tubes toreinforce the tubes and arranged to cause the air passing through saidspaces to converge at the rear of the radiator.

4;. In liquid cooling radiators, transverse tubes arranged in paralleland spaced relation, and corrugated members to engage in the spacesbetween the tubes, said tubes and the corrugated members being arrangedto cause the air currents passing through the spaces between the tubesto converge in the rear of the radiator.

5. In liquid cooling radiators, a series ot parallel and spaced verticaltubes, and ycorrugated members to engage in the spaces bctween thetubes, the corrugations at the middle portion of said members being atright angles to the front of the radiator, with the corrugationsadjacent the top inclining downward and inward from the front to therear of the radiator and the corruga-tions adjacent the lower endinclining upward and inward from the front to t-he rear oi' the radiatorfor the purpose specified.

6. In liquid cooling radiators, a series of parallel and spaced verticalattened tubes arranged with a flattened side to extend at an obtuseangle to the front of the radiator, and corrugated members to engage inthe spaces between the tubes with the corrugations arranged to cause theair passing through the spaces to converge in the rear of the radiator.

7. In liquid cooling radiators, a series of parallel and spaced verticalattened tubes, with the tubes arranged at one side of the center of theradiator to incline at an obtuse angle from the front to the rear of theradiator, and the tubes at the opposite side of the center of theradiator inclining at the same angle but in an opposite direction; andcorrugated members to engage in the spaces between the tubes, thecorrugations at the middle of said members being at right angles to thefront of the radiator with the corrugations adjacent the top incliningdownward and inward Jfrom the 'front to the rear of the radiator and thecorrugations adjacent the lower end inclining upward and inward from thefront to the rear of the radiator' for the purpose specified.

8. In liquid cooling radiators, a reservoir for the heated liquid havingan inlet; a reservoir for the cooled liquid; fiattened tubes in paralleland spaced relation to conduct the liquid from one reservoir to theother and arranged at an angle to the front of the radiator to present afiat-tened side of said tubes for the impingement of the air in itspassage through the spaces between the tubes; partitions in thereservoir for the heated liquid to separate said reservoir into chambershaving communication with each other over the top of said partitions,and the inlet to said reservoir arranged to direct the incoming liquidto the two outermost chambers Jfor the purpose specified.

9. In liquid cooling radiators reservoirs for the heated and cooledliquid; Hat parallel and spaced liquid passages to connect saidreservoirs in circulation: and trans versely corrugated membersinterposed between said passages to form air passages between the liquidpassages from the front to the rear of the radiators with thecorrugations arranged to cause the air to converge in the rear of theradiator, said corrugated members having portions stamped therefrom toform perforations in the corrugated members.

10. In a radiator a core composed of flat parallel spaced tubes, andspacers for said tubes composed of transversely corrugated plates, saidcorrugations being arranged to incline downwardly7 and upwardly from thefront to the rear of the core for the purpose specified.

EDWARD T. CURRAN.

